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JIA patients displayed markers for increased arterial stiffness
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Patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis experienced altered arterial wall indices, indicating increased arterial stiffness, according to study results.
Researchers in India studied 31 patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA; mean age, 10.27 years; 18 males) and 31 sex- and age-matched controls. Flow mediated dilation (FMD) and glycerol trinitrate (GTN)-mediated dilation of the brachial artery were used to assess endothelial function. Cross-sectional compliance and distensibility, shear stress and elastic modules were derived to assess arterial stiffness. Subclinical atherosclerosis marker was considered intima media thickness (IMT).
Patients with JIA had slightly lower brachial arterial diameter at rest compared with controls (0.258 ± 0.042 vs. 0.264 ± 0.039; P=.54). The patient groups experienced no significant differences in FMD (P=.53), GTN mediated dilation (P=0.53) or FMD: GTN mediated dilation ratio (P=.89). Carotid IMT was similar between JIA patients and controls (0.065 ± 0.0068 vs. 0.068 ± 0.007; P=.084).
Researchers also analyzed subsets of JIA separately but observed no differences between patients and controls.
Patients with JIA had lower cross-sectional compliance (0.0016 ± 0.0005) compared with controls (0.002 ± 0.001; P=.034). The JIA cohort had lower cross-sectional distensibility and higher diastolic wall shear stress and elastic modulus compared with controls; neither was statistically significant.
“When the subsets were analyzed separately for vessel wall indices, cross-sectional compliance was found to be significantly lower in systemic arthritis patients as compared to controls,” the researchers reported. “A high level of intra- and inter-observer agreement was found for all ultrasonographically evaluated parameters.
“The results of our study suggest that arterial wall stiffness does occur to some extent in some JIA patients,” the researchers concluded. “Larger studies are required to assess endothelial dysfunction, intima media thickness and arterial stiffness in each subset of JIA patients.”
Disclosure: The researchers reported no relevant financial disclosures.
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